Adrienne Thompson's Blog, page 66
February 14, 2012
Writer Wednesday with the Eeriesistible Cateenna Davis
This week's featured author is Cateenna Davis! Read all about her!
"I am not afraid to take the reader out of their comfort zone (way out of their comfort zone.)"
What inspired you to become a writer?
It was an accident really. I was writing as a release, but my husband read a few pages and told me I had a story on my hands. After rereading the pages myself, I felt the same way (kinda). Long story short. The words that were never meant to be a story turned into one. So I guess my husband and my release inspired me.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Well seeing that I rarely read books that I would even think about gaining influence from... there is really no book that has influenced my life. I never read a book and said, "Oooo I want to be like that!"
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Ummm, that's a hard one without being biased! (lol) Naturally Cateenna Davis my favorite author! (blush) and what strikes me most about my work is... I DID IT! (big smile) But really, I don't have a favorite "author" just favorite "books". Child of God by Lolita Files, The Blood That Bonds by Christopher Buecheler, and Demon Girl by Penelope Fletcher. That's just to name a few. What really strikes me about their work? It would have to be their uniqueness. Their work was like nothing I'd read before.
What makes you unique as a writer?
I am not afraid to take the reader out of their comfort zone (way out of their comfort zone), Then slowly bring them back in, then take them out again. All while evoking a feelings angry, pain, frustration and triumph.
Do you see writing as a career?
At this point there is no other way to see it... I have been bitten by the bug and I don't want it to stop!
What is the title of your latest book and how did you come up with the title?
I thought you'd never ask! (lol) The title is Sarah Rose. It was a work in progress coming up with the title, I changed it a few times before my husband told me to keep it as Sarah Rose (it was what I started out with). It was simple really Sarah (the main character) struggled in the beginning and Rose in the end. There you have it Sarah Rose, simple right? I was trying to make it catchy and stand-outish (is that a word? lol) when all I needed was Sarah Rose. Simple.
What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
Getting over the fact that I had to take myself out of my comfort zone! I was willing to do it to others but in doing so I had to overcome the challenge of being taken out myself (I know the irony, huh...). The next challenge was making sure I could pull it all together and have the reader keeping turning pages while outside their comfort zone. That was not found out until the end (challenge met...).
In 5 words, tell the readers why they should buy your book:
Murder! Mayhem! Psychological Torture!...Eeriesistible!
Please share an excerpt from your latest work:
The day Pa received the news about Ma's killing he went crazy. He ran through town cussing, screaming, and damning everyone in his path. It took the entire sheriff's department to get him to calm down. He was never the same after that.
He was dirty and reeking of booze, he hadn't bathed since hearing of her death. At Mama's funeral, he sat quiet in the back of the church. Family tried to comfort him, but he'd just pushed them away with groans, grunts, and sinister looks.
"What's wrong wit'em?" A fat woman asked speaking in a low whisper and dabbing sweat from her upper lip. "What's to happen to the girl?"
"His wife been killed in an ungodly way and you askin' such a fool headed question?" Another lesser fat woman replied turning to look at us. "'Sides her pa will see after her; they be alright I 'spose. 'Sides I wouldn't want the likes of that gal 'round me. You ev'a see a child with eyes as black as coal. I hear she had somethin' to do with old lady Bea dyin' and all. Goin' around throwin' dirt at folk's feet. It ain't right." The lesser fat woman said, watching Sarah as family and friends passed by giving their condolences.
Final Words:
Yes...I want to thank you. Thank You for the interview. I really enjoyed speaking with you. And to my readers those that have read and to those that will soon read. Thank you! and remember...Murder, Mayhem, Psychological Torture!!!! You know you love it!
Sarah Rose a twisted tail that is sure to take you out of your comfort zone...available everywhere. Kindle, Nook, iTunes, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords or just walk into your local bookstore and have them order it!!!!
To learn more about Cateena or to check out her work, visit the links below:
Website: http://www.cateennascorner.com
Blog: http://www.cateennascorner.com/ooooawwwbookreview
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Rose-ebook/dp/B005GFJPCI or http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Rose-Cateenna-Davis/dp/0615536441/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1325872296&sr=1-8
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sarah-rose-cateenna-davis/1104728082?ean=2940013202771&itm=5&usri=sarah+rose
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79888
Thanks, Cateenna and thanks, readers!! Until later...be blessed!!
February 5, 2012
Writer Wednesday with the Passionately Talented L.A. Smith!!
This week's featured author is L.A. Smith! Check her out!!
"I write with unadulterated passion."
What inspired you to become a writer?
I've always had a love for writing every since I was in elementary school. Back then it was all about plays centered around Disney characters. Now it's more adult-like writing.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Hearts of Men by Travis Hunter, Any Way the Wind Blows by E. Lynn Harris
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
My favorite is Travis Hunter. I love his style of writing and also enjoy how he can take fictional events and characters and then leave the reader with a message. Whether that message is grow up and be a man or treat others the way you want to be treated.
What makes you unique as a writer?
What I bring are unique and unforgettable characters who the majority of my readers can envision themselves either being in that character's shoes or knowing someone just like the characters that I've created.
Do you see writing as a career?
In the future, I can see myself branching out and doing different styles of writing such as paranormal romance, science fiction, and may consider Christian fiction.
What is the title of your latest book and how did you come up with the title?
My latest is "Making Love Last." After tossing around some ideas for this title, I thought about the message within the story. It's a love story that goes haywire from the start but somehow the couple is able to regroup and mend some broken promises.
What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
As a self published author, marketing yourself is a challenge. I'm a writer first, then I'm a publisher, finally marketing is generally placed on the shelf or I'm finding myself busying myself with more writing tasks.
In 5 words, tell the readers why they should buy your book:
I write with unadulterated passion.
Please share an excerpt from your latest work:
He's a powerful man in the court room but a babbling idiot with women; that is until he meets the lovely Erion. Will Criminal Attorney Victor Rowe finally win the heart of the only woman he's ever loved at first sight? He seems to think his charm is enough to reel her in to his arms but will her sordid past put a halt to this story book romance?
Is it possible for one man to be in love with two women ... at the same time? DaRon Mitchell didn't think so until it happened to him. His tangled life with his childhood girlfriend and his college sweetheart was going smoothly until a near tragic experience makes him a changed man. He realizes it's time to settle down and commit to one woman. But the one who get's the boot doesn't go away so easily.
Taleed Wallace fought the mother of his son in and out of the courts so that he could be a father without having so much distance between the two of them. Even though he despises her decision to have the child, Taleed finds himself protecting Candice from the physical abuse inflicted on her by her boyfriend. But, through all the emotional anger he has, Taleed struggles with an embarrassing secret that he can't share with his friends.
Final Words:
For the readers who don't know who L.A. Smith is because I haven't been around long enough to put a dent in the literary world, but I will, I want you to take a moment and check out some of my works. I write with true passion and I want my readers to feel that passion as they read my stories. All of my novels are on amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and you can also download them on my website at www.authorlasmith.com. I would love to hear from you.
Be sure to visit her website and check out her work at the links below!!
Website: http://www.authorlasmith.com (by the way, great website!!)
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/vvE8SO
Barnes and Noble Link: http://bit.ly/qaJS7Z
Thanks, Ms. Smith and of course, readers!! Until later...be blessed!!!
January 31, 2012
Writer Wednesday--A Visit With Wicked Leanore
Presenting...Writer Wednesday!!! Today's featured author is the fabulous (and wicked) paranormal author, Leanore Elliott!
I really enjoyed this interview and I think you will, too!
"Endorphin release when I write, a great, big high."
What inspired you to become a writer?
Who, is the answer. The answer is a strange one too. Mary Poppins, yep. With Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. When I saw this movie at like, 6 years old? My mind just came alive, and then I started to tell stories.
What books have most influenced your life?
When I was a stay at home mom of four? I read like 3 romance novels per week. I can't remember all of them, but they all influenced me. My first romance title at about 15 years old was Sweet Savage Love, and it did open a whole new chapter in my imagination.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Nora Roberts. She is not really known for Paranormal, but she sure can tell a good story.
What makes you unique as a writer?
I write Paranormal that isn't...Normal. I write about characters who are not vamps, wares or shifters. There are no ghosts or witches, fairys or mermaids. I have three books about Beasts, which are unlike anything you ever read. These books are Hot Erotic and not for the faint of heart. I have 7 more of various (not in the box) stories as well.
Do you see writing as a career?
Oh yes, career, dream, vision---like breathing air.
What is the title of your latest book and how did you come up with the title?
The Hat Trick and I came up with it from a list of exotic drinks.(hiccup) Oops. LOL
What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
I try to write about what I know, so minimal research, enough to grasp the subject. Literary: None, as I follow no known outline. Psychological? Endorphin release when I write, a great, big high. Logistical? Well, only if I have to use a dictionary (chuckle). Time is my biggest challenge. I need the time to continue each story. I have three working right this minute.
In 5 words, tell the readers why they should buy your book:
A breathtaking, HOT, unforeseeable ride!
Please share an excerpt from your latest work:
THE HAT TRICK Release date March 15th 2012
I walked in, not knowing what I would find. The bar was dark and musty, full of the scent of whiskey and wafting cigarette smoke. There was music, but I couldn't tell if it was the blues or jazz, because something kept it muted. Maybe it was the low murmur of half-drunken souls, whispering their woes into their own empty shot glasses.
I was looking for a person, a man. I know it sounds cliché, I'm looking for a man. But he is a story and I'm not ashamed to admit that.
I put out an ad and said they could remain anonymous. Of course, considering the subject matter, they would almost have to remain anonymous.
Right up front, I will admit, I am writing an article on a very taboo subject. If someone were linked to this activity it would ruin their public image, if anyone ever found out about it.
The feeling in the bar was strange, as if the air carried electric vibes. Vibes filled with secrets, wrapped with loneliness, like a feeling of forlorn longing floated along the very air in the darkened room.
I stepped up to the bar and wondered how I should act. The bartender was a tall guy with broad shoulders, busy wiping up a sloppy beer puddle a little further down from where I sat. All I could really see of him was his partial profile. He was like the rest of the surroundings, his face hidden and out of focus.
I decided to just be understated and muted like the surroundings dictated. However, the drink I was told to order by the potential source from the ad was not a muted, quiet name. "Give me a hat trick—neat." My voice was low, almost a whisper. Ordering this particular the drink was the cue to finding the man who'd volunteered to share his story.
The bartender stopped in mid wiping of the bar and looked up at me.
Oh, now I could see his face and I was so glad I could. He was gorgeous, with intense dark eyes and a slight smile tugging at his lips.
"What?" he asked in a low tone.
I cleared my throat and repeated the drink order."A hat trick, neat?"
His classical features were set to scowl as he stepped closer and leaned on the bar in front of me. "This isn't Chili's or some uptown cocktail bar, lady." His voice held the same vibe as the bar did, electric and fierce.
I sat frozen in my seat. Those eyes which were now focused on me were not like the rest of his persona, they blazed with all kinds of emotions, like a raging sea, all churned up with foam in a hurricane wind. A person looking into them could get lost in just the sense of strength and power. Could you call it an angry glare? Or is it just that the rest of him seemed so angelic looking, like one of those models seen in the magazines, and then when you really looked closer the difference was startling. Pretty he was, but I could sense that underneath, he was not an angel at all. Built like a virtual wall of brick and he looked like he could truly take care of any drunk who might be fool enough to get out of hand.
A devil in disguise. Yeah, that's the name I would make up for him. I had this bad habit of seeing a person or thing right down to its most inner tic. Then, I just had to dissect, like a mad forensic scientist working on a murdered corpse. Just pull back every layer, fold by inner fold and see what's hidden.
Final Words:
Don't wait for it, go for that dream!
Be sure to check out Leanore's website and her work at the links below!
Website: http://captivesouls.weebly.com/-leanores-home.html
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=books&field-author=Leanore%20Elliott
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/leanore-elliott?sort=SA&size=8&store=book
Thanks, Leanore and thanks, readers! Until later...be blessed!!!
January 29, 2012
Been So Long - Meet the cast!
I ran across this photo on the web and instantly saw her as Mona-Lisa Dandridge. I don't know her name, but I think she's gorgeous!!
Ok, so I've had an uber-crush on Sendhil Ramamurthy since his Heroes days. He is the beautiful inspiration for Dr. Wasif Masood.
And last, but not least...
Michael Jai White (or at least his body, lol) is the inspiration for Corey Sanders. I imagine Corey as an even better-looking Michael Jai White :D
And then there's the music of Ms. Anita Baker. Well, one song in particular...
And there you have it. I hope you'll pick up a copy of Been So Long. Only 99 cents for Nook or Kindle editions. Also available in paperback!!
Next week, I start my "Writer Wednesday" feature on this blog. Until then...be blessed!!!!
January 22, 2012
Sample Sunday: Meet Mona-Lisa Dandridge
This is the final sample from my second novel, Been So Long before its release on 1.28.12. Meet Mona-Lisa Dandridge.
I hate my name. Always have. Mona-Lisa Dandridge. What kind of name is that? Oh, I know that the Mona Lisa is a famous work of art. I know that Leonardo DaVinci was one of the greats, a genius really. Maybe I should be honored to have the name, but I'm not. Maybe it would've been better if Mona was my first name and Lisa was my middle name. But no, Mona-Lisa is one name, hyphenated. My middle name is DaVinci. Yeah, you heard me right, Mona-Lisa DaVinci Dandridge. My name is concrete proof that sixteen-year-old girls shouldn't have babies—or at least they shouldn't be allowed to name them. There are other reasons why a girl that young shouldn't have kids, but I won't go into them right now.
Anyway, I used to wonder why my mom didn't just give me her name. Christina is a pretty name. I could've dealt with that. But no, I got stuck with a stripper's name. Maybe if my father had stuck around long enough for me to be born, he would've stepped in and given me a normal name like Tasha or Andrea. But he disappeared as soon as the plus sign showed up in the window of the home pregnancy test. Mama said his name was Michael Tolliver. I met him once, I think. Well, that's a long story. One I've tried not to remember.
Anyway, Michael's a nice name. Maybe he would've named me Michelle. That would've been nice. Michelle Dandridge has a nice ring to it. Oh well, I've been Mona-Lisa Dandridge for thirty-three years now. I may as well accept it...
I hope you'll want to get to know Mona-Lisa a little better on 1.28.12. Until later...be blessed!!
